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 What
You Should Really Know About Signals?
by
Cap'n Jack Perdue
When you
cast off in your boat, you are immediately faced with signals; signals
to be read and understood and signals to be made or replied to.
Some are signals that involve radios, flares, horns,
lights or more passive signals such as posted signs and buoys. Signals
are used to instruct and inform boaters, to advise of danger, to
keep you safely in the channel away from hazards or warn you off
the water when weather conditions have become risky.
From the moment you leave the dock, you are faced
with signals from the transport and parks departments and from the
Canadian Coast Guard and it's up to you to understand their meaning.
There will be sound signals from other boats, signifying
their intentions and asking what you intend to do in the form of
a return signal. If you don't have a sound device on board, such
as a horn or whistle, you can still improvise with an arm signal.
But they expect to get a reply so be ready with something.
For instance, when passing starboard to starboard
in a channel, without needing to change course, you are required
to signal with two short blasts and expect it to be answered in
kind. If it isn't, you are left in the dark on what the other skipper
intends to do.
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(Read full article in the magazine.) (Top)
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